Clinical decision support systems can be interactive decision support system computer software designed to assist clinicians and other health professionals with decision making tasks (e.g., such as determining diagnosis of patient data). Such systems can provide substantial benefit assisting clinicians and other health professionals by providing information and/or options such that errors made in decisions can be reduced. Further, clinical decision support can be particularly beneficial when medicine and/or systems used may be complex and/or may have specific requirements (e.g., delivery requirements, dosing requirements, etc.). Also, clinical decision support software can be designed to control elements of systems that may be complex and/or are affiliated with medicine that may require specific delivery requirements.
One example of a medicine and/or system used that may be complex, have specific requirements, and/or benefit from using clinical decision support is the delivery and/or monitoring of delivery of Nitric Oxide (NO) gas for therapeutic purposes. Nitric oxide (NO) gas, when inhaled, acts to dilate blood vessels in the lungs, improving oxygenation of the blood and reducing pulmonary hypertension. Because of this, nitric oxide can be provided in inspiratory breathing gases for patients with pulmonary hypertension.
Further, when delivering NO gas for therapeutic purpose clinicians may deliver drugs through nebulizers. These nebulized drugs may interfere and/or react with elements in the system that is delivering and/or monitoring delivery of NO gas to the patient. To minimize this, generally speaking, certain elements of the system that may be effected by the nebulized drug are located upstream of nebulizers located in the inspiratory limb of the breathing circuit. However, some studies have demonstrated greater drug efficacy of drugs delivered through nebulizers when the nebulizers are placed further upstream in the inspiratory limb of the breathing circuit. This can cause elements of the system that may be affected by the nebulized drug to be located in substantial proximity and/or downstream from the nebulizers.
Following the above example, if the clinician and other health professional was provided with additional information and/or options they may be able to use the system delivering NO and the nebulizers without substantial risk of damaging elements of the system and/or providing incorrect dosing to a patient. For example, clinical decision support could be used to provide relevant information and/or options to reduce the risk of error that may be caused by the introduction of nebulized drugs into a breathing circuit which also is in fluid communication with elements that may be affected by the nebulized drug.
The above is but one of many scenarios where clinicians and other health professionals can be presented decision making tasks that may assisted with the use of clinical decision support. Accordingly, it would be beneficial if clinical decision support could be used with systems and methods for delivery and/or monitoring of delivery of NO gas for therapeutic purposes.